OUTCASTS

"Our station was furthest from the nuclear blast radius. I'm glad the vampire hibernating pod system wasn't critically damaged, if all of them were up, I and Zoe would have been on the menu of those monsters immediately they got up." Wilder said followed by sinister laughter.

Ryker got up and floated through the zero gravity spacecraft to a control panel checked the vital readings, and moved to the shuttle space door. He was the only vampire to have escaped his pod when the ship was crushed on the moon two months ago. Ryker wasn't a ripper and managed to keep his lust for blood in check, taking only a spoonful from half a cup daily. He trained himself to survive on the moon with Zoe and Wilder, two doctors conducting experiments on the Vampires before the program halted.

"It ain't funny," Zoe screamed out as she turned to Ryker changing into a space suit.

"He doesn't mean it Ryker don't listen to him," Zoe said.

"We need to go back to earth. Our resources on the moon are depleting. I can survive but you guys need to go back. Wilder, how long do we have before the life support is down?" Ryker asked.

"We've got less than a month, the air is down to 21%, water, and food supply can hold us a bit longer," Wilder answered.

"Wilder, what about the escape launch pod?" Zoe asked.

"The pod is still under repair, I need more time, besides it can only hold two passengers it won't be of use to all of us and I ain't much of an engineer I'm just a doctor ain't sure I can pull through," Wilder said condescendingly.

"I'll be fine, I'll join you guys later, I can wait. Zoe, you know I'm immortal, " Ryker said.

"No, if we're going back to earth we're going all of us." Zoe cried out.

"Okay, doctor. We'll look for a solution." Wilder replied.

"Do you think they'll welcome us back on earth, the missiles that were sent came from the earth, right?" Zoe calmly said.

"They'll have to, those hooligans, sent us here and left us with vampires only to turn against us. We're lucky to have survived the bomb blast." Wilder was infuriated.

"I'll be heading out now," Ryker said.

"How's your meditation holding on? I can't imagine meditating in a vacuum rather than in space on the moon." Zoe wondered. She was always astonished by how Ryker meditated to keep himself calm and train himself to go without blood and less air for sustenance for ours.

"I mean, it's hard but necessary, sometimes, I have to remove the space suit helmet mid-mediation and experience full vacuum and the moon environment, not requiring the visor. I believe I'm adapting and holding off well so far." Ryker said.

Zoe was shocked. He could read her facial expression.

"B…butt…but isn't painful, the moon's atmosphere isn't the same as earth, nevertheless is like you're in a partial vacuum." Zoe was tense.

"Thanks for the concern but I've been doing this long enough that I'm used to it. I'll see you guys in a bit."

He finished putting on his suit and entered the airlock. He then pulled a lever opening the shuttle doors. They closed behind him as he floated out.

Zoe and Wilder moved to the porthole window to get a clear view of Ryker.

Ryker was bouncing up and down towards a raised rock where he settled down, as he meditated.

"He does that for us you know? It helps him calm controlling his blood thirst and strengthening him. He's changed I don't know how but I can feel it. This crater gave him the perfect cover from the sun's rays." Zoe said.

"Huh, change he's immortal. He won't age… Well not for me. He's still a vampire. They're predators…" Wilder was interrupted by Zoe.

"Hush, you don't get to say that. Say that when he's here." Zoe said.

"Huh, anyway a sexy predator to me." Zoe giggled.

"Ugh, you just disturbed the head. Lemme get back to the pod. I'm finishing on the thrusters home we'll be able to launch and get home in one peace. I miss my family. I'm tired of being trapped here on this Luna Selene." Wilder screamed out as he floated away to the crew cabin.

"We all are. We all are, Wilder." Zoe said as she looked at the distant earth on the wider porthole window above her head.